Dirty Dancing

Craig Wilson has been teaching Latin American and Modern Ballroom for the past 17 years. Whilst competing in professional ranks he trained extensively in the United Kingdom and Norway for 10 years under several of the worlds most respected dance teachers and choreographers. Craig is based in Sydney but travels extensively throughout Australia and Asia coaching and conducting workshops with couples active in Dancesport. The highlight of Craig's competitive career was finishing 5th in The Professional World 10 Dance Championships, Holland 1992 and the Quarter Final of The British Open Professional Championships 1992. After realising a desire to want to teach his craft Craig opened Riviera Dance Centre 17 years ago, a purpose built dance facility specialising in Latin American and Ballroom Dancing. Over the past ten years Craig has consulted on projects ranging from movies, theatre, television productions and more recently being contracted to The State Education Department with "The Dancesport Challenge" a children's programme and curriculum written by Craig to introduce Ballroom Dancing to students between the age of nine years old to 16 years old. This programme is a dream come true for Craig "to see Ballroom Dancing introduced to children who would normally not have the opportunity". The programme is planned to be introduced to 10,000 students within Sydney over the next five years. This year Craig will add to his portfolio of experience by taking over the roll of CEO of The Federal Association of Teachers of Dancing Australia & Asia Pacific Region, an association representing Dance teachers qualified in Ballroom, Latin American, Ballet, Tap, Contemporary, Jazz & Hip Hop. Craig's involvement with the stage production of Dirty Dancing began with The World Premier in Sydney July of 2004 and has since had an amazing journey staging the production in Hamburg, London, Toronto, Utrecht Holland and Chicago. I am truly delighted to have the opportunity to work with such a talented and inspiring dancers. I believe every member of this cast enriches this wonderful production of Dirty Dancing, they have all embraced the beauty and intimacy of "Dance" and "Story". To be so fortunate to work in the company of such people as Eleanor Bergstein, James Powell, Kate Champion, Conrad Helfrich, David Scotchford - and our Creative team is indeed my pleasure.